Cue ball aiming device



NOV. 12, 1968 T, E MURCH CUE BALL AIMING DEVICE Filed O01.. 2l, 1965 INVENTOR TED E M URCH United States Patent O 3,410,555 CUE BALL AIMING DEVICE Ted E. Murch, Schenectady, N.Y., assignor to Joseph C. Sullivan, Garden City, N.Y. Filed Oct. 21, 1965, Ser. No. 499,794 5 Claims. (Cl. 273-2) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A cue ball aiming device for determining the direction in which a cue ball must bc projected in order to'strike and propel an object ball in a predetermined direction.

In playing billiards or pool the point of aim on the object ball and the carom angle of the cue ball off the object ball are the most variable and difficult factors to determine. These factors present an imposing and often discouraging problem to the beginner. This problem also perplexes the experienced player who has not engaged in .the game for a period of time. The game often requires months or years of trial and error before one is able to determine these factors.

With the device presented herein, both the beginner and one who wishes to improve his game can learn the important principles in a short time.

With the use of the device disclosed herein in a matter of seconds a player can determine the exact point at which to aim the cue ball to cause the object ball to be pocketed in each instance. The device will also reveal the exact direction the cue ball will take after it caroms off the object ball, which is very important to know in preventing scratch shots in position play and in the play of straight carom and thre`e cushion billiards.

The principal object of this invention, therefore, isto provide a device which will allow the user to deterrmne the point at which to aim a cue ball to cause the object ball to be pocketed.

It is another object of this invention to provide a device which will reveal the direction the cue ball will take after it caroms off the object ball.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide an inexpensive device which can be used by both experienced players and beginners in playing billiards and pool and which will enable the user to make combination shots with accuracy.

A cue ball aiming device and the method of using the same is described herein with references to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view from above and to the rear of a cue ball aiming device constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a top view thereof;

FIG. 4 is a front view thereof;

FIG. 5 is a rear end view thereof; and

FIG. 6 is a segmentary view of a billiard table, object ball, cue ball, and cue ball aiming device constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention in position.

The cue ball aiming device 10 as shown herein in the figures is a unitary metal member of uniform circular cross-section bent and folded to provide a plurality of angular relationships of extreme importance.

The base portion is indicated by the numeral 12 and raised at its front end so that front end bottom portion 14 forms an angle therewith. Front end top portion 16 forms an angle with front end bottom portion 14, the apex of which is indicated by the numeral 18 and which is displaced one and three-sixteenths X units from the projection of the axis of base portion 12, front end bottom 14 and frontend top portion 16 lying in the same plane which for purposes of description herein will be referred to as the vertical plane. Where X is the radius of the cue ball, it being assumed that the other balls in play are ofthe same radius as the cue ball. Hence, if the radius of the cue ball is measured in inches, the distance between the projection of base portion 12 and point 18 is one and threesixteenths X.

A marking point 20 which is a slight deformation of base portion 12 is displaced one and three-sixteenths X from point 18 rearwardly. In the figures the distance of point 18 above the projection of base portion 12 is indicated by the letter A and the distance of marking point 20 rearwardly from point 18 is indicated by the letter B. Front end top portion 16 projects rearwardly to a point directly above marking point 20 where carom sight 22 is provided perpendicularly to the vertical plane or the plane in which front end bottom portion 14 and front end top portion 16 lie. Carom sighting member 22 is in the form of a U with a short side 24 extending from front end top portion 16 and long side 26. Sides 24 and 26 lie in the same plane which is a second vertical plane forming a right angle with the plane of portions 14 and 16.

A rear sighting member 28 is provided in the form of a U with side 30 extending from bottom portion 12 and perpendicularly thereto forming one side of the U and side 32 forming the other side of the U. Sides 30 and 32 lie in the same plane as do front end bottom portion 14 and front end top portion 16.

A stabilizing member 34 in the form of a U having short side 36 extending from side 32 of rear sight 28 and long side 38 is provided for balance or stabilization of the cue ball aiming device.

Hence a device is provided having a bottom portion 12 lying in a plane which is the plane of the front end bottom and top portions and the plane o-f the rear sig-ht 28. This can be considered as the vertical plane which is perpendicular to the horizontal plane determined by the sides 36 and 38 of the stabilizing portion, bottom portion 12 and marking point 20. Carom sight 22 lies in a second vertical plane perpendicular with the horizontal plane and also perpendicular with the rst vertical plane in which front end bottom and top portions 14 and 16 lie.

In FIG. 6` a portion of a billiard table 40 is shown with the corner pocket 42 in View. The object ball 44 is shown as is cue ball 46, a portion of cue stick 48 and cue ball aiming device 10. It is desired to place the object ball 44 in corner pocket `42 by striking cue bal-l 46 with the end of cue stick 48 and driving the cue ball 46 into contact with object ball 44 to move the object ball into the corner pocket. The cue ball aiming device is set up with point 18 touching cue ball 44 and the aiming device is maneuvered by use of rear sight 28 and observation until sight 28, front end top portion 16 and pocket 42 are aligned. The user then marks in chalk a spot on the table, which is the marking point 20, and removes the cue ball aiming device. Ball 44 will be placed in pocket 42 if cue yball 46 is projected across the mark made `at the marking point. The cue -ball will strike object ball `44 driving it into pocket 42 if the long axis by sighting has been lined up with the center of the corner pocket and the center of the object ball and the shot is made from anywhere on the table behind crossbar line 50-50. The direction of the cue ball is indicated by the line 52 and the direction of the object ball is indicated by the yline 54. The crossbar determining line 50 shows the carom angle which will show exactly the direction cue ball 46 will take after striking object ball 44 so that cue ball 46 will strike the side of billiard table 40 at point 56.

It is seen, therefore, that with the use of this device a beginner or an expert can successfully pocket an object ball and at the same time determine the direction the cue 3 ball will take after impact with the object ball. lf it is desired to make a combination shot so that the binal ball goes in a predetermined pocket, it is necessary only to line up the nal ball, then chalk, take up the device and do this continually with each of the balls involved, setting up the combination shot.

Thus, among others, the several objects in the invention, as specifically aforenoted, are achieved. Obviously, numerous changes in construction and rearrangement of parts might be resorted to without departing tfrom the spirit of the invention as dened by the claims.

I claim:

1. A cue ball xaiming device for use in the game of billiards for determining the direction in which a cue ball must be projected upon the surface of a billiard table to strike an object ball in order to propel said object ball in a predetermined direction comprising a base provided to be supported upon said surface, a point portion on said device above said surface a distance of one and three sixteenths times the radius of said object ball when said base is supported by said surface, a second point portion on said device, `a vertical plane defined by said first and second point portions -lying'therein and perpendicular to said surface when said base is supported by said surface, said second point portion being beneath and vertically displaced from said first point portion a distance of one and three sixteenths times the radius of said object ball, said cue ball and said object ball having the same diameter, and sighting means for sighting the horizontal projection of said vertical plane whereby said cue ball passing over the zone on said surface determined by said second point portion will strike said object ball and project it in the direction of the projection of said vertical plane.

2. A cue ball aiming device in accordance With claim 1 in which said sighting means consists of horizontally displaced vertical projections of said device.

3. A cue ball aiming device in accordance with claim 1 in which second sighting means are provided on said vdevice for indicating the direction oi roll of the cue ball after it caroms off the object ball.

4. A cue ball aiming device in accordance with claim 3 in Which said second sighting means consists of portions of said device lying in a plane perpendicular to said vertical plane.

5. A cue ball aiming device in accordance with claim 1 which is unitary and consists of a substantially rigid wire bent upon itself to vform said base, said first and second point portions and said rst and second sighting means.

References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS 5/ 1913 Great Britain. 1/1930 Great Britain. 

